PART 3: CHILDREN'S OUTCOMES - SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIOURAL
Sexual and Health Behaviour
Teenage Pregnancy
Teenage pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of poor social, economic and health outcomes for both mother and child. 44 Specific outcomes have been identified, including babies with a low birth weight; high infant mortality; high child mortality; high hospital admissions for children; high rates of post-natal depression; and low take-up of breastfeeding. 44
Measure
The number of births to girls aged 10-17.
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Key findings
- The number of babies born in Ireland in 2002 was 60,503 (see Table 71). This increased to 64,237 in 2006. In contrast, the number of babies born to girls aged 10-17 has decreased, from 779 in 2002 to 577 in 2006 (see Figure 28).
Table 71: Number and rate (per 100,000) of births among girls aged 15-17* (2002-2006)
| 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | ||||||
| Age | No. | Rate | No. | Rate | No. | Rate | No. | Rate | No. | Rate |
| 15-17 years | 779 | 864 | 753 | 849 | 624 | 722 | 612 | 724 | 577 | 690 |
| 18-24 years | 10,726 | 4,753 | 10,453 | 4,603 | 10,082 | 4,438 | 9,547 | 4,189 | 10,130 | 4,442 |
| 25 and over | 48,654 | 6,790 | 49,983 | 6,822 | 50,854 | 6,780 | 51,127 | 6,622 | 53,495 | 6,681 |
| Age not stated | 344 | - | 340 | - | 412 | - | 86 | - | 35 | - |
| Total – all ages |
60,503 | 5,860 | 61,529 | 5,868 | 61,972 | 5,827 | 61,372 | 5,659 | 64,237 | 5,775 |
* The number of births to females aged 15-17 includes a small number to mothers aged 10-14 years.
Source: Vital Statistics and Census Population Estimates, CSO
Figure 28: Number of births among girls aged 10-17 (2002-2006)
Source: Vital Statistics and Census Population Estimates, CSO
- In 2006, the number of births to girls aged 10-17 represents 0.9% of the births to females of all age groups (see Table 72).
- Births to girls aged 10-17 as a percentage of all births has shown a consistent decrease between 2002 (1.3%) and 2006 (0.9%).
Table 72: Births to girls aged 10-17 as a percentage of all births (2002-2006)
| 2002 | 1.3 |
| 2003 | 1.2 |
| 2004 | 1.0 |
| 2005 | 1.0 |
| 2006 | 0.9 |
Source: Vital Statistics and Census Population Estimates, CSO
- There were 10 babies born to girls in the 10-14 age group in 2006.
- In 2006, just over one-third (34.7%) of births to girls aged 10-17 occurred in Dublin (see Table 73).
Table 73: Number and proportion of births to mothers aged 10-17, by county (2006)
| County | No. of births to 10-17 year-olds |
No. of births to all ages |
Births to 10-17 year-olds as % of total births |
| Carlow | 14 | 847 | 1.7 |
| Clare | 18 | 1,741 | 1.0 |
| Cork | 55 | 7,326 | 0.8 |
| Donegal | 20 | 2,067 | 1.0 |
| Dublin | 200 | 17,623 | 1.1 |
| Galway | 21 | 3,404 | 0.6 |
| Kildare | 32 | 3,405 | 0.9 |
| Kilkenny | 13 | 1,197 | 1.1 |
| Laois | 8 | 1,060 | 0.8 |
| Limerick | 31 | 2,736 | 1.1 |
| Louth | 12 | 1,703 | 0.7 |
| Mayo | 11 | 1,623 | 0.7 |
| Meath | 16 | 2,907 | 0.6 |
| Monaghan | 5 | 683 | 0.7 |
| Offaly | 8 | 1,102 | 0.7 |
| Other counties | 20 | 4,501 | 0.4 |
| Sligo | 9 | 843 | 1.1 |
| Tipperary | 17 | 2,121 | 0.8 |
| Waterford | 19 | 1,755 | 1.1 |
| Westmeath | 12 | 1,361 | 0.9 |
| Wexford | 19 | 2,120 | 0.9 |
| Wicklow | 17 | 2,112 | 0.8 |
| Total | 577 | 64,237 | 0.9 |
Source: Vital Statistics, CSO
Technical notes
Figures relate to registered live births and exclude stillborn babies. Population estimates are based on the de facto population present on Census night in any area. This includes visitors present on Census night as well as those in residence, while usual residents temporarily absent from the area are excluded from the Census count. The number of births in 2004 differs from the totals published in the last State of the Nation's Children report due to CSO revisions. The number of births to females aged 15-17 includes a small number of births to females aged 10-14. The denominator used to calculate the birth rate of females aged 15-17 is based on the population in that age group (rather than the population aged between 10-17).